Synthesis of biodiesel from soybean oil based on.

Abstract

Biodiesel, consisting of methyl esters of long chain fatty acids produced by transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats with methanol, is a promising alternative diesel fuel regarding the environmental concerns and the limited recourses of fossil fuels. In this article, an environmentally starting process for the transesterification of soybean oil to biodiesel using Na₂CO₃ loaded on γ-Al₂O₃ as a solid-base catalyst was developed. The catalyst loaded Na₂CO₃ of 40 wt% on γ-Al­­₂O₃, after being calcined at 300^oC for 4 hours, was found to be the optimum catalyst, which can give the best catalytic activity for this reaction. The effects of various reaction variables such as the catalyst loading, oil to methanol ratio, reaction time and temperature on the conversion of soybean oil were investigated. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, TPD-NH₃ and SEM methods. The results indicated that the catalysts consist two phases the activity phase and Na₂CO₃ distributed in the pores of γ-Al­­₂O₃.